A CRACK cocaine dealer who had only just managed to get a flat after six years of living in a tent has been jailed.

Keith Hibberd, 55, was found with 16 wraps of crack cocaine and a small amount of heroin in a tin when he was arrested in Chippenham last February. He also had £235 in cash.

Jailing him for two years and nine months at Swindon Crown Court on Tuesday, Judge Jason Taylor QC said: “You initially told the police that you were guilty. That’s why it’s surprising you didn’t indicate a guilty plea at the lower court. You didn’t even want a solicitor at that stage.

“You went on to [say] the drugs were for personal possession but when your phone was analysed it showed you had been operating for [return] selling drugs over a period of 18 days with 21 numbers on that phone linked to drug users.”

The court heard police had been called to reports of a disturbance on February 25 last year. Hibberd was stopped by officers on the High Street after he was seen walking away from the property.

Prosecutor Rob Welling said the officers searched him and found 16 wraps of crack cocaine and heroin. He also had £235 in cash.

Interviewed by the police, he claimed the drugs were for his personal use. He spent around £80 to £100 a day on his drug habit and received around £1,000 in benefits every month. “One doesn’t need to be smart to understand those figures do not add up and he needed to supplement his benefits with crime of some sort,” Mr Welling said.

The prosecutor added: “It is plain in my respectful submission the defendant was operating the drug line as his small business. As always, there are those above you in the business and there is evidence that he owed people money.”

Hibberd, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply crack cocaine and possession of heroin.

Mark Ashley, mitigating, said his client had spent six years living in a tent. Five months ago he had managed to get himself housed, he was now clean of drugs and had a partner.

“Like all of those who come here, he is a man who is desperately trying to avoid a custodial sentence,” the barrister said.

Hibberd had made a “quite remarkable” change and it was tragic that at a time in his life where he’d made progress he was going to have to take a number of steps back, the court was told. He had not been in trouble for 16 years.

Jailing him for 33 months, Judge Taylor said the defendant was a street dealer in the significant role category. “You were performing an operational role, you were controlling a line of a small drug business, you were operating for money to fund your own habit.”

The drugs and money were forfeit and will be destroyed.